Welcome
back.
Because
this week's visual lesson will be quite lengthy, I will be trimming
it into two updates (Monday & Wednesday). This will allow us to
focus on examples of each problem, simple fixes, and a final product.
Both will have various moments of stupidly simply answers; but those
are the kinds of things that we often forget as big fancy
“professionals”.
This
first set will cover the lessons on Lighting, Pose, and Set/Prop
Involvement. For obvious reasons, I will break them down into
individual lessons, then build one onto the next to explain why the
use of a sequence is vital.
Step
One : Lighting
The three images above all show flaws in
lighting. For the first two, the issues should be obvious;
over-exposure vs under-lit. The third flaw has to do with indirect
lighting problems. To make things easier I will go in sequence
according to the photos and how they may be corrected at the end, and
cover general rules in the beginning.
Begin every session with a simply white
balance check. Though the method will change with each camera body
and manufacturing company, there is always a way to white-balance. I
personally use Canon cameras and make use of the WB menu for
sunlight, flash, tungsten, and cloudy settings on a regular basis on
my “little rebel” when hiking, test shooting a retail product, or
taking vacation photos.
The next simple solution, reposition and
re-shoot. I did warn you that this post would be full of “well
duh” moments... Anyway, yes, reposition. By reposition, I mean
shift either yourself or your subject based on the light source
itself. I used a landscape because it is an example of having to
move the photographer instead of the subject. In basic portraits it
is best to reposition the subject based on where the light source is
stationed and learn to work with a set structure of lights to
maintain a set level of lighting on hair, face, and figure.
Do yourself a favor and try not to get
too fancy with light tricks until you have mastered basic lighting,
and avoid the use of “beauty dish reflectors” or other advanced
tools until you have a firm grasp on the basics. I still don't use
reflectors unless I am doing a fashion shoot that absolutely requires
them. View them as enhancement tools to be used sparingly and you
will find that results can be achieved even before you ever whip-out
the big guns.
Eventually you may run into an issue that
can only use digital editing as a remedy. For those situations, and
I have run into them as well, understand that “less is more”.
Actually, consider the “less is more” thing a general rule for
digital editing and you may find yourself a bigger success than
otherwise expected. But when it comes to an image that must be
edited, you need to remember that color quality will be degraded as
you alter things.
Finally, use judgment and patience. The
first photo in the collection above was taken on a hike with my
husband in early autumn of 2010; as was the updated version below.
The difference is simple, I stepped back slightly and waited for a
cloud to shift. Sometimes you just need to wait and try again later,
I did. This is very true with landscapes because it is difficult to
control weather and nature.
So, now that I explained the solution to
the first example, can you guess the corrections for the other two?
Solution one, timing and slight
repositioning of the photographer.
Solution two, repositioning the subject
to correctly face the light source.
Solution three, use of some slight digital editing to remove awkward hair highlights.
Additionally, I have
changed the image to a black & white on
request of the client, but you can see in both edited version
there
is a distinct shift based on lighting.
Step
Two : Pose
There are many common flaws in pose that
can greatly change the result of each click of the shutter. I will
highlight some things to look for and some common errors in posing
that can be solved with more simple tweaking. I will give you ideas
for all ages, but remember here that I work mostly with children.
These can be done with wriggly little ones that give you about 15
seconds to set up and snap.
After evaluating your lighting, you need
to start the posing phase of a session by letting the subject know
where their “mark” is and how to stick to it. This is where you
need to establish a relationship with parents or guardians of
children at your studio, and where you will need to communicate
clearly to even seasoned models that may not watch their movements.
Remember that if you set your lights up correctly, the subject mark
will be where the optimal lighting is located, so you want to pose
from that spot. You also will need to understand the location of
your subject mark for ensuring that you are able to use correct focal
length.
Once you get the subject to the mark, you
need to know where you are starting and where you are going. Over
years in the studio I have found that what one of my trainers told me
is very true; you either start down and work up (ie: belly/napping
for kids to standing/jumping/action) or visa-versa. This is really
because you can add in or remove continued props and chairs as you
work without interrupting the session's flow. Personally, I work
from the belly up with younger children because tummy poses are the
hardest once they figure out crawling and walking; also, being at
their eye level and letting them see you on your tummy can sometimes
get kids with the coldest of shoulders to warm right up.
While there are hundreds of poses, there
are a few pretty common ones most photographers know well and use
often. This is not always a good thing. Some of these poses are
seriously over used, so I will try to stick with the ones that sell
best. In all honesty, once you have a plan for poses, the best thing
to do is focus on making sure that you avoid certain pitfalls.
Tummy and back poses are fairly easy to
do well. Unfortunately they are equally easy to do poorly. In the
case of newborns, it is all about working set, colors, and moving the
photographer around the sleeping subject. The first example of
laying poses in this collection is of my own son at just six weeks
old. The trick is to ensure the infant is angled properly to keep
the focus on the face. The next is an example of variation on a
tummy pose done with an adult. In this case, I had the model shift
her shoulders to face the camera more directly while keeping her body
angled away from the light source. Slight sifts in arm placement,
head level, and facial expression can change tummy poses from sensual
and suggestive, to quirky and childish, to innocent and peaceful.
The first is what I refer to as the
“Football vs Cheer Leading” situation – no, I don't mean this
as anything offensive, I just find that phrasing works best to
support the visual. First we have the football player – standing
square to the lens makes every person look broad shouldered and
heavier set. In general, it is unflattering to everyone and only
should be used when taking an image for Federal ID purposes
(passports, etc.). To solve this, subjects should be turned about
three-quarters to the lens. This allows for there to be greater
curve of body line, and makes people appear slimmer. I sometimes
increase this tilt to a two-thirds level when working with pregnant
women, models looking for basic head-shots, or graduating seniors
wearing sports uniforms. It can be combined with a good deep breath
to accentuate the bust and belly curves depending on if the subject
tilts back slightly (belly) or forward (bust).
Next is what my trainer called the “head
on a stick” situation. Again, this name might be useful after an
explanation, but if you agree to call it “cannibal candy” then
you are in good company; a studio full of zombie obsessed, online
video game playing, photographers helped me come up with that name.
The issue is this, too often a subject's arm is placed under the head
and chin in such a way that you get a lollipop line-up. The solution
is really to just shift the arm slightly and tilt the subject's head
so you get less of a line up to a circle.
I adore that classic look of seduction
from one hooded eye as a girl looks over her shoulder into the
camera. I also loath the strained feeling I get in my own neck
looking at a kid twist around at what is obviously an uncomfortable
angle and cannot manage to hold a believable smile. Be careful when
posing over-the-shoulder that you do not get into the lollipop
situation I explained just a moment ago by making sure you follow the
step-by-step process I outline here.
Begin by setting your subject at a
three-quarters angle with their body facing away from the camera
lens. Have the subject roll the shoulder closest to the lens back
slightly by shrugging their shoulder and leaning it back slightly.
From there help them turn their head in small increments until the
achieve a point slightly past profile with about sixty-percent of
their face visible to the camera. For those not certain about how to
judge the right turn, you want to just be angle to see the eyelashes and corner
of the further eye. From there, work on touching up details with
hair and jewelry before you snap the shutter.
Step
Three : Prop & Set Involvement
Finally, think beyond the box. There are
thousands of things you can do with a subject in a room or outside.
Toddlers and infant that are able to sit un-supported at a
three-quarters away angle and looking not at the camera but at a toy.
Models on their back, waist bent, with feet up against the wall with
roses in their hands and petals on the floor. Kids jumping-rope or
leaping up like they want to reach for something overhead. Teen
leaning their chin onto their hands over the back of a chair. I
adore shots that show personality, and all of these can do just that.
I finish this week's first visual lesson with examples of different
man made and natural settings for great portraits.
Indoor sets should be clean and basic.
Don't fill up a room with objects that pull interest from the real
focal point. Objects used for seating are a great thing, stairs are
a special favorite of mine and I suggest them often. They are stark
but interesting in a professional way. Use test shots if your
judgment might need a little nudge one way or another.
Color choice for indoor sets is also
vital in both backdrops and additional objects. White, black, and a
muted blue or brown tone will provide a good base. In general, even
children should not be placed on too bold a color because it can
detract from the focus. Bright colors just sitting on the floor
against a dark shade of drop would honestly harm more than help.
Bringing those colors up around the shoulders or face will accentuate
the expression and eyes.
Outdoor sets offer wonderful variety of
both interest and tools to assist with pose choice. Unfortunately,
outdoor sessions face their own challenges. Rain, unpredictable
light levels, unpleasant temperatures, and the occasional passer-by
that wants to “watch” as you try to coach your model... all of
these can make a photographer's work more difficult.
Try setting your subject on a low tree
branch, you get a lovely tummy pose and can create a new twist on a
very simple pose. The texture of an oak tree or the spattering of
autumn leaves can make even a simple close-up different. Beaches can
make lovely sets with soft sand for toes, waves to play in, and rocks
to sit on while the wind creates an emotionally charged atmosphere.
